Wong launches grand slam for first MLB homer, has injury scare late

(BaseballStL) -- The day he was named NL Rookie of the Month, Kolten Wong showed exactly why as he blasted his first MLB homer, a grand slam, to give the Cardinals their first runs since Saturday.

The shot over the right field wall ended a 20-inning scoreless streak dating back to Saturday night's win over the San Francisco Giants.

The Cards suffered a disappointing first inning, when they loaded the bases, only to have it erased when Yadier Molina grounded into a 6-4-3 double play. They loaded the bases once again in the second inning. With Oscar Taveras, Jaime Garcia and Matt Carpenter all on and hoping to not be stranded, 5'9" Wong stepped to the dish.

He fouled off the first pitch he saw, a 94 mph fastball. Then Wong sat on an 86 mph changeup and drove it, clearing the right field wall.

"He came with the same sequence the at-bat before," Wong explained following the game. "Fastball-changeup. So I kind of had an idea maybe he'd come with it. I saw it a little up and tried to just put a good swing on it and lucky for me I hit it out."

He hit it 402 feet out into the bullpen. After trotting around the bases, manager Mike Matheny pushed him back out of the dugout.

"He told me to go up there and salute the fans," Wong said. "He joked with me after I came back down and said, 'Finally.'"

Wong, who had 26 home runs during his minor league career, had yet to hit one with the Cardinals. In his 125th at-bat in 2014, be broke through. It also happened to be another first for the young second baseman.

"That was the first grand slam of my entire career," Wong joked. "Little League and on. I definitely didn't think I had a chance of hitting it out. I hit it good, but this park plays so big that it's tough to get something out. I had nightmares about not hitting one yet."

Wong is the first Cardinal to hit a grand slam as his first MLB home run since Jake Westbrook did it against the Milwaukee Brewers in 2011.

His night took a downturn when he suffered an injury scare late in the game. In the eighth inning, Wong dove for a ball hit by Billy Butler. When he got up, his shoulder looked to be in pain, but after the game the second baseman said it was just jammed.

"It's alright. When I went for that ball, I landed a little awkward," he said, "The doctor went and looked at it, no dislocation or anything. Some bruising."

He mentionted the injury might keep him from being 100 percent on Wednesday, but doesn't expect it to persist much further than that.